Think Progress

Gates arrival being delayed for Rumsfeld?

By Faiz Shakir on Nov 27th, 2006 at 12:21 pm

Gates arrival being delayed for Rumsfeld?

Newsweek reports that Robert Gates will be sworn in as the new Defense secretary “in the new year,” a good two weeks after his confirmation. Why? “One source close to the White House, who spoke anonymously in order to keep his job, believes President George W. Bush has decided to wait until after Dec. 29 ‘as a personal gesture to Rumsfeld.’” On that date Rumsfeld would become the longest-serving Defense secretary.



33 Responses to “Gates arrival being delayed for Rumsfeld?”

  1. veritas says:

    Boo…hiss….what – so he can get his medal of honor? Get that thug outta here quick! If I were W I wouldn’t dicker around with Gates either because there’s a lot of stuff out there about his cherry picking intel during the Iran Contra that almost got Gates indicted…..he’s not a “clean candidate” for the job either.


  2. leftcoast says:

    On that date Rumsfeld would become the longest-serving Defense secretary.

    This will be Rumsfeld’s only claim to fame after a failed tenure. This, again shows, that for this administration it’s all about “how it looks”, not about whatever they do is effective. A change is needed TODAY.


  3. n says:

    longest serving, i guess
    WORST, definitely!


  4. veritas says:

    For all the years spent in many administrations, this psych will have absolutely to show for it except his legacy – “booted by bushco”!


  5. mparker says:

    Stay the failure with a man who has failed with great distinction.

    Rumsfeld should be run out of town with pitchforks and torches.

    That’s one of my known knowns.


  6. mitch says:

    He should have been the shortest-serving defense secretary…


  7. dlet says:

    That will make great headlines for the American people on that day. I hope there is a nice fat picture of the Prez and Rummy smiling and shaking hands about this “achievement”. He was the longest seving and the worst that I can remember. They keep throwing fuel on themselves as they are burning.


  8. Erroll says:

    It took Robert McNamara, former Secretary of Defense under LBJ, about thirty years to admit that it was a mistake for the U.S. to have pursued a belligerent foreign policy in Vietnam. Will the U.S. and the world have to wait until Rumsfeld hits the century mark before he, Rumsfeld, decides to issue his mea culpa to the victims of those who had paid the price for his misguided decisions in Iraq?


  9. Pity The Fool says:

    And the country collectively moans its disgust.


  10. Zooey says:

    GWB is only reinforcing his connection and responsibility for the worst Sec Def ever.

    Works for me…


  11. Parrotlover77 says:

    That’s fine with me. This will just make him and all the neocons even more memorable as a complete failure and disaster for this country.


  12. ShamRockNRoll says:

    This will just make Bush look like even more of an idiot than he already does… the Worst President EVER keeping on the Worst Sec.Def. EVER, longer than any defense secretary before him… It just illustrates how incompetent these people are.


  13. budpaul says:

    What an absolutely pointless jesture. Congrats, Rummy! You’re the longest serving Defense Secretary; you also happen to be the worst so enjoy!
    America’s Least Wanted


  14. SpudgeBoy says:

    Everything these frickin’ jerks do is about PR.


  15. feeler says:

    Please get rid of him before he continues to kill more troops and the Iraqis. Please. Throw him out today. Right now.


  16. dlet says:

    Has Gates been confirmed already?


  17. goodscarrier says:

    Field Marshal von Rumsfeld is longest-serving Defense Secretary whose greatest contribution to war strategy is now being repudiated by the same Army he governs.

    Army gives Rumsfeld Doctrine a rewrite
    The ‘07 manual puts greater value on maintaining stability than on swift action.

    By Julian E. Barnes, Times Staff Writer
    November 20, 2006

    Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld may be leaving under a cloud of criticism over his handling of the Iraq war, but his invasion plan — emphasizing speed over massive troop numbers — has consistently been held up as a resounding success.

    Yet with Iraq near chaos 3 1/2 years later, a key Army manual now is being rewritten in a way that rejects the Rumsfeld doctrine and counsels against using it again.


  18. dlet says:

    Just looked it up and saw Gates is yet to be confirmed but the paragraph above kind of seems to have him confirmed already.


  19. Margaret says:

    Gates appears to be a shoo-in, Iran-Contra or no…


  20. RealScientist says:

    Bush has never worked a real job in his life. He doesn’t know what it means to work. He is a man of zero personal accomplishments, and doesn’t understand what it means to accomplish anything. So it is isn’t surprising to me that his idea of a job accomplishment is something arbitrary like how many days served, without any regard to the quality of service. Bush truly is an imbecile, with the mental development of a socially immature 16 year old boy of below average intelligence.


  21. barfly says:

    President George W. Bush has decided to wait until after Dec. 29 ‘as a personal gesture to Rumsfeld.’” On that date Rumsfeld would become the longest-serving Defense secretary.

    And with a record of incompetance that will last for centuries.

    In the year 2220, history students will write essays comparing and contrasting Rummy with McClellan, McNamara, and Custer.


  22. Marie says:

    That’s what Bushie likes: extremes.
    Worst SecDef AND the longest serving.
    Worst Prez in history.


  23. theswan says:

    Now he can be a “heck of ah longest sitting secretary”, and you know what that conjures up. Dig out the freedom metals.


  24. klyde says:

    Polish up the next Medal of Freedom


  25. nofltwlt says:

    If there was ever any doubt that George Bush has the intellect of a child, there can be no doubt after this.

    This is akin to the opposition in a basketball game, with nothing to gain, allowing a player from the other team score unmolested points in order to set a record. It is stupid, unfair and pointless.

    Actually, this has been done on a basketball court but the record was disallowed. Let’s disallow Bush this idiotic record and IMPEACH him now.

    What a pecker-head.


  26. Zimzone says:

    OT, but slightly connected…
    Cheney & Brownback both have stated that Obama appears to be a bright young Senator, but sorely lacks the experience to be President.
    Dick, Sam…
    What were ‘W’s’ qualifiers?
    Running businesses into the ground?
    Avoiding service in ‘Nam?
    Governor of Texas through the backdoor?
    Christ, Obama hasn’t even declared yet, but they’re already spinning his shortcomings, trying to instill doubt in the ‘08 vote.
    4 years (’08) of Senatorial service far outweights Bush’s experience.
    Folks, remember this when the topic arrives…it will, you know.
    On topic,
    Rummy, a ‘known known’, has an ‘unkown’ future. Kissing Saudi ass, however, will probably lead to a well paid job in the private sector.


  27. Badmoodman says:

    Bush was against getting rid of Rumsfeld before he was for getting Rumsfeld before he was against getting rid of Rumsfeld.


  28. Drew Mackenzie says:

    When you absolutely, positively, have to be sure you’ve worn out your welcome…


  29. impeachcheneythenbush says:

    Seems to me that this whole confirmation of Gates bit is being rushed, and the Dems are being stampeded again. There IS a Deputy Sec. of Defense who has full authority of the SecDef if that office is vacant. There IS NO NEED to confirm Gates (or anyone) now or even in the next couple of months. Gates is a questionable nominee at best, with his CIA history and connection to Iran/Contra. On top of that, a “past” committee member of the Iraq Study Group…do you think it was an accident that he was nominated? I, personally, would support Colin Powell. He’s past his “good soldier” bullshit, and the man has combat experience. Just think about the SecDefs that both Bush’s appointed: Cheney and then Rumsfeld. Cheney, with his five differments during Vietnam and Rumsfeld, who was a Navy flight instructor during the 50’s and also never saw combat.


  30. Vincennes says:

    Worst. Defense Secretary. Ever.


  31. PatrioticLiberalChristian(PLC) says:

    How many times have we had to say that Rumsfeld has no exit strategy – now, obviously, not even for himself!?


  32. Marie says:

    Isn’t it special that Bush will let Rummy stay on so to set a record – as if that makes any difference to anything except Bush the scorekeeper. See, Bush really does have compassion – not.


  33. USA says:

    Hahaha, completely ignoring that he is incompentent and a nutcase.



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